CP smog tower to be ready by Aug 15: Rai

NEW DELHI: State environment minister Gopal Rai announced on Thursday that the construction of a smog tower in Connaught Place, one of the Delhi government’s key projects, will be completed by August 15.

Rai, who visited the site where a 25-metre-high smog tower is being constructed on Thursday, said the work slowed down because of the lockdown, but has picked up again.

“The country’s first smog tower is being set up here as a pilot project by the Delhi government. We surveyed the site today (Thursday). If this pilot project is successful, more such towers will be set up in Delhi,” Rai said.

He added, “The tower will be functional by August 15 and its performance will be monitored by experts, based on which further plans will be made.”

The Delhi government is funding the construction of the smog tower, which is being built on the directions of the Supreme Court on a budget of Rs 20 crore by Tata Projects Limited.

Iit-bombay is providing technical support to the project in collaboration with Iit-delhi, and the National Buildings Construction Corporation (NBCC)--A project management consultant.

Another such tower is being set up by the Centre at east Delhi’s Anand Vihar under the expertise of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). Both the towers were supposed to be built by June, but the Covid-induced lockdown affected the work.

A combination of local and external emissions as well as adverse weather conditions cause an air emergency in Delhi every year during winter with pollution levels plunging into the severe and very severe zones.